Rail-joint for railways.



J. M. MAKER. RAIL JOINT FOR RAILWAYS. APPLICATION FILED 0017.25, 1912v Patented 0013. '7, 1913.

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qwi/tmeooeo CL Q/C Ma Em x4 M UNITE STATES PATEN JAMES M. TIIAHER, OF FREMONT, NEBRASKA.

RAIL-JOINT FOR RAIL'WAYS.

Application filed (Ectober 25, 1912.

useful Improvements in Rail-Joints for Railways, of which the following is a specifieatlon.

This invention relates to an improved rail joint for railways, and has for its object to provide a construction tending to prevent vibration of the track rails, and especially to prevent the depression of the rails at their terminals, these parts being subjected to unusual stresses when the locomotive or car wheels pass from the end of one rail to another.

The invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as described herein and claimed, and as illustrated in the drawing, wherein,

Figure l is a plan view of the rail joint applied to the two adjacent rails of a track. Fig. 2 is a side view showing the adjacent end-portions of two track rails connected by the rail joint. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2, the view being enlarged and partly broken.

Referring now to the drawing for a more particular description, numeral l indicates a pair of track rails disposed end to end. In order that they may be connected in a manner tending to prevent vibration or depression of their ends from the action of rapidly moving trains or similar causes, the elongated housing-plate or joint-member 5 is provided. This member may be formed to advantage by use of a rectangular plate. It provides a base a to be disposed below the bases Z) of the track rails, and is bent transversely at 0 and (Z, between its longitudinal edges, so that it may embrace the outer flanges c and the outer faces of the upright webs n of the rails. One of the longitudinal edges of member 5 is adapted to be disposed immediately below the balls of the track rails, that portion near its opposite edge being upturned to provide a longitudinal ridge h.

The railway cross-ties are indicated at 6. The joint-member 5 may have any suitable length; as shown in the drawing it has asuflicient length to span two of the ties. l/Vhen the end portions of the two track rails have been disposed within the housing-plate or joint-member 5, its upright portion 2' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented @ct. 7,1313.

Serial No. 727,696.

will bear against the outer faces of the webs of the rails, and the outer flange of each rail will be housed therein, the inner flange 6 of each rail abutting upon a part of ridge /2, said ridge projecting somewhat above the flange.

At 7 is indicated a second joint member or housing-plate, this being formed of metal and being substantially of L-shape in crosssection. It has a length, preferably, equal to that of member 5, and is adapted to be disposed with its lower wing upon the inner flanges of the track rails, the edge of this wing bearing against ridge it, its upright wing in bearing upon the inner faces of the webs of the rails, opposite to portion 2' of member 5. By means of bolts 8 which extend through the track rails and joint members, said members are rigidly secured to the track rails, and as thus described, the entire surfaces of the end-portions of the track rails, except the treads or ball-portions g, are inclosed and in engagement with the joint-members.

Member 5 is incised to form apertures 9 in the bent portions 0, and is incised to form recesses 10 in ridge It, so that the heads 11 of the spikes may be seated therein to make contact with the flanges of the rails, recesses 12 also being formed in the lower wing of the L-shaped member 7 and disposed in register with recesses 10, to permit the heads of the spikes to bear upon the upper surface of said flanges.

Among some of the advantages to be derived by use of the herein described rail joint, it may be stated that the parts are few and simple, and may be economically constructed. The angular form of the chair or joint-member 5 provides braces operating to great advantage in resisting transverse stresses in either direction; and when reinforced by the L-shaped joint-member 7, movements of the track rails are practically prevent-ed.

It will be noted that the inner sides of the spikes may bear upon the edges of the flanges, and in practice, apertures 9 and recesses 10 and 12 may be formed of a suitable size so that they will be filled by the heads of the spikes, and when said spikes have been driven home they will not readily become dislodged from the ties.

Since it is occasionally necessary to replace old or injured track rails with new ones, the parts of the rail joint must be so constructed that they may be removed from their mountings. At m is indicated a recess formed in ridge h, and a wedge-shaped implement (not shown) may be inserted in this recess 'to engage between the inner flanges e of the rails and base a when it is desired to separate or remove the jointmember 5 from the track rails, and this be accomplished after bolts 8, the spikesand joint-member 7 have been removed. Recess m is formed midway between the ends of ridge h and therefore it will be adjacent to the ends of the track rails so that operation will be convenient for the removal of said joint-member 5 from the rails.

Having fully described the parts of the rail joint and their uses, a further eXplanation relating to operation is not necessary WVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is, Y i

The combination with a pair of rails each comprising a horizontal base flange and a vertical web, ofa pair of co-acting fish plates, one of said fish plates comprising a vertical portion lying alongside of said vertical webs, a horizontal portion bearing upon the top of and bent about'the edge of plate, the first named fish plate having spike receiving grooves formed therein at the point where it is bent about the edge of the base flange, the upstanding portion of the first named fish plate and the terminating edge of the last named fish plate having alining spike receiving grooves formed therein, and areces's formed intermediate the ends of the upturned portion of the first named fishplateadapted to receive a tool "for removing the rail when desired.

In testimony whereof I have aliixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES M. MAHERI 5 Witnesses HIRA M A. S'runens,

A; F. CLARK,

qcpies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D; (3. 

